X     bed-bail fastener



WL P. SENG -AND D. F. DYKE.

BED RAIL FASTENER.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919;

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c WENDELIN. rusENG AND DAREELL E. nYKE, or cnrcneo, ILLINOIS, assrenons rro THE UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

SEN G1 COMPANY, OE .CHIOAGQ ILLINOIS, `A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application nled'vanuary 16, 1919.* Serial No. 271,437.

To all fw Zwan, it :may concern:

Be it known that we, 'WENDELIN P. SENGY being stamped and folded from suitable gagey sheet-metal `at a comparativelysmall cost, and which when in use,\will constitute a rigid connection or fastening-means between the bedrail and bed-post, and which will permit of ready disconnectionand 1n typific-ation showin, areconnection for fac1l1- tatingan end-for-end reversal of the rail.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterV appear, and the novel features'thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bed-rail provided with our improved rail-fastener, the latter being shown in its connected position with `a woodenbed-post shown partly in section; and

Fig. 2 is `a `transverse Vertical sectional view taken on. the dotted line 2-2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both figures of thefdrawing.

The post 1, may be offany design usually given wooden bed-posts,and ata suitable point has its face provided with a narrow vertical slot or kerf 2, intersected somewhat below its middle by a cylindrical trans-` versely disposed cross-pin 3. The bed-rail 4, is of the usual angle-iron construction and being well known, requires no particular description.

At each end of the bed-rail 4 is attached a sheet-metal fastener 5, and, as will be seen, each of such fasteners comprises a plate angular in cross-section and therefore consisting of the angularly disposed members 6 and 7. The latter member is merely an attaching-lange, being secured to the vertical web of the rail 4 by means of rivets 8, the

.end of the rail abutting snugly against the companion member 6 of the fastener. The member G, at a slight distance from the angle of the plate, has its intermediate portion bent `rearwardly and shaped to form in the example; shown an arrow-shaped head 9, the same projecting beyond the remainder of the memberupon which it is formed.` This head 9 at its inner side is provided with upper and lowerslightly converging bind ingedges 10 and 11, respectively, the head being connected to the member 6 by a reduced neck 12. The member 6, as before indicated, is 4disposed at a right angle to the member 7, so that that portion thereof which lies between the angle of the fastener and the neck forms an abutment for the end of the bed-rail.

to formopposite opposing hooks'lB` and 14, respectively, these two hooks being preferably located at the same side of the vertical flange of the `bed-rail and therefore in longitudinal alinement.

In operation, in order to engage the rail to the post by means of the fastener, the head 9 of the latter is introduced into the upper end or portion of the slot or kerf 2 of the post and into engagement with the crosspin 3. As the bed-rail is forced downward to its seat, the inclined edge 11, which is in engagement with the cross-pin 3, riding overthe latter, serves to draw the rail andits fastener snugly against the face of the` post. The neck 12, or rather, that portion-of the member 6 that-is rearwardly bent to produce the neck, completely `lills a portion of the length of the slot or kerf 2 of the post, the remaining portion of the slot or lrerf being closed by the member 6 above and below the neck. In this manner anunsightly slotor opening in the'post `is covered from view.

While the fastener as thus described, even with the omission of the hooks 13 and 14, will perform its function fairly well, and indeed, is practical, yet there is a certain amount of undesirable looseness present owing to the fact that there is but one point of connection betwen the bed-post and bedrail, namely, the pin 3 and head 9.

To fully overcome this we prefer to yinclude the hooks 13 and 14. These we preferably locate at one side of the vertical flange of the rail and also in vertical alinement.

When the rail is first positioned, as heretofore described ,and therefore, the railfastener is firmly seated upon the cross-pin 3,

.Above and below the neck 12 the member 6 is shown as interiorly recessed we insert into the wooden post Within the hook 13, if the latter happens to be uppermost, a headed bolt or screw l5, the shank of which about agrees with the space within the hook. The head of the screw overlaps and engages the edge of the hook, but does not impinge thereupon with sufficient force to bind. yIt will thus be seen that irrespective of the presence of the headed screw l5, the fastener may be raised from its position of engagement with the cross-pin and that such operation will also cause a disengagement of the upper hook with said screw. The rail may then be reversed end-for-end so as to bring the horizontal web of the rail uppermost. That fastener formerly at the head of the bed will now become positioned at the foot of the bed and the lower hook 14 will now become the upper hook, but it will be seen, will coperate with the headed screw l5 as heretofore described. It will also be seen that the upper inclined shoulder 10 now becomes the lower shoulder` and engages with the cross-pin 3.

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the fastener becomes braced against loose* ness and in fact a very rigid connection is produced out of one somewhat loose and for that reason not entirely satisfactory.

It will be seen that the fastener is capable of being integrally formed from a single blank of metal and at a comparatively slight cost. The flange 7 may be given any eXterior decoration desired, and may b e finished and shaped as preferred and so as to accord with the design of post in connection with which it iS to be used.

Having described our invention, what we claim, is:

1. The combination, in a bed-rail fastener, of a bed-post provided with a vertical slot and la cross-pin, of an angular side-rail, a

rail fastener angular in cross-section and having its front-member riveted to a flange of the rail and its companion-member rear- `wardly disposed and shaped to form a head connected thereto by a neck and provided with upper and lower oppositely inclined binding edges adapted to engage the crosspin and above and below said neck recessed to form hooks, and a headed member extending from said post and adapted to be removably engaged by said hooks.

2. The combination, in a bed-rail fastener,

of a bed-post provided with a vertical slot and a cross-pin, of an angular side-rail, a rail fastener angular in cross-section and having its front member riveted to a fiange of the rail and its companion member rearwardly disposed and shaped to form a head connected thereto by a neck and provided with upper and lower Oppositely inclined binding edges adapted to engage the crosspin and above' and below said neck recessed to form hooks disposed in vertical alinement at one side of the `vertical ange of the rail and opposing each other, and a headed screw extending from the post and adapted to be removably engaged by said hooks.

3. The combination, in a bed-rail fastener, of a bed-post provided with a vertical slot and a cross-pin, of an angular side-rail, and a rail fastener angular in cross section, said rail fastener having its front member secured to the rail and its companion member rearwardly disposed at an intermediate point to form a connecting head provided with an inclined binding edge adapted to engage the cross-pin when said head is inserted and lowered within the slot, the said rear member of the fastener being provided with a hook at one side of and at an angle to the head, and a headed element projecting from the post and adapted to be engaged by the hook when said head is engaged by the said cross-pin.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WENDELIN P. SENG. DARRELL F. DYKE.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. SENG, P. W. BALLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C." 

